Hand operated toy



7. 6 L. D. SIEGLER 3,419,995

HAND OPERATED TOY Filed Ju1y20, 1965 Sheet 0f 2 INVENTOR Lawrence D.S|egler 40 3? 4 W Y W B Fl a g ATTORNEYS L. D. SIEGLER HAND OPERATED TOYJan. 7, 1969 Sheet 2 or 2 Filed July 20, 1965 Fig.7

INVENTOR Lawrence D. Siegler 3 ATTORNEYS Fig.6 BY

United States Patent M 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A paper toysimulating an animal formed of a body piece foldable along predeterminedlines to define a body portion and appendages such as wings which aremovable relative to each other and the body portion when the toy ismanipulated by hand.

This invention relates to toys and more particularly to a handmanipulated toy.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved toy in theform of an animal, such as a bird, which is easily manipulatable by onehand to simulate movement of the various portions of the animal.

Another object is to provide a toy which is easily formed of a minimumnumber of components.

Still another object is to provide a toy formed of flat pieces ofresilient sheet substance, such as cardboard, which are foldable alongpredetermined lines to provide portions movable relative to one another.

A further object is to provide a paper toy simulating an animal, such asa bird, formed of a body piece foldable along predetermined lines todefine a body portion and appendages, such as wings, which are movablerelative to each other and the body portion when forces acting inpredetermined directions are applied to the body portion. A stillfurther object is to provide a toy wherein an operator piece or strip issecured to the body portion by means of which forces may be applied tothe body portion to cause movement of the wings.

An important object is to provide a toy formed of fiat sheet body piecefoldable along predetermined lines to form a three dimensionalrepresentation of an object such as an animal.

Still another object is to provide a toy, of the type described whereinan operator member, also formed of a flat sheet piece, is secured to thebody piece and is manipulated to cause movement of the portions of thebody piece simulating the appendages of the animal.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the reading of the following description of a deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to theaccompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of toy embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the body piece of the toy before it is foldedalong the fold lines;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the operator piece of the y;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the toy;

FIGURE 5 is a front view of the toy showing the wings in their extendedpositions and showing the manner in which the fingers of the operatorhold the toy;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 showing the wings moved to theirupper positions;

FIGURE 7 is a top view of another toy embodying the invention; and,

FIGURE 8 is a side view of the toy illustrated in FIG- URE 7.

The toy 10, which represents a bird, is made of two flat blanks orpieces 11 and 12 of a suitable flexible Patented Jan. 7, 1969 somewhatresilient material, such as cardboard or the like. The body pieceincludes a substantially oblong central portion 13 defined by theinwardly concave score or fold lines 14 and 15 which have substantiallyequal radii of curvature, a flat neck and head portion 16 which extendsforwardly from the central portion and is defined by the score or foldlines 17 and 18 which extend forwardly from the front ends of the foldlines 14 and 15, and a rear or tail portion 19 defined by the inwardlyconvex arcuate fold lines 20 and 21 which extend rearwardly from therear ends of the fold lines 14 and 15, respectively The body piece isbent upwardly at one side of the central portion along the continuousfold lines 14, 17, and 20, to cause the left side portion 24 of the bodypiece which represents the inner portion of the left wing 25 to extendat an angle of approximately 45 degrees from the left side of thecentral portion. The outer portion 26 of the left wing extends outwardlyfrom the arcuate score or fold line 27 at an angle of slightly more than90 degrees from the inner portion.

The upwardly extending left neck and head portion 30 of the body pieceis bent upwardly along the fold line 17. Similarly the left rear sideportion 31 of the body piece 11 is bent upwardly along the score or foldline 20 to represent the left side of the rear portion of the body andof the tail of the bird.

The right wing 25a, the right neck and head portion 30a, and the righttail portion 31a are similarly defined by and foldable along the scorelines 15, 18 and 21, respectively. The right wing has an inner portion241: and an outer portion 26a which is bent at an angle of slightly morethan 90 degrees on the score or fold line 27a relative to the innerportion.

When the inner wing portions are folded upwardly along the inwardlyconcave fold lines 14 and 15, the central portion 13 of the body pieceis bent resiliently into the upwardly convex position illustrated inFIGURE 4 due to the curvature of the fold lines 14 and 15. The innerwing portions 24 and 24a extend in arcuate planes due to the curvaturesof fold lines 14 and 15 and 27 and 27a.

The operator piece 12 is of a substantially oblong shape and has a frontend portion 32 which provides lateral tabs 33 and 34 foldable on thefront end portion along the score or fold lines 35 and 36 and a similarrear end portion 37 which provides lateral tabs 38 and 39 foldable onthe rear end portion along the score or fold lines 40 and 41. The foldlines 35 and 36 are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to orslightly shorter than the width of the front slit 42 of the body pieceat the front end of the central portion and similarly the fold lines 40and 41 are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to or slightlysmaller than the width of the slit 43 of the body piece.

The operator piece 12 is assembled on the body piece by folding the tabs33 and 34 fiat on the front end portion 32 and then inserting the frontend portion and the tabs upwardly through the slit 42 whereupon the tabs33 and 34 move resiliently outwardly to substantially the positionsillustrated in FIGURE 1 and the front end portion 32 lies flat againstthe top surface of the neck and head portion 16 of the body pieceimmediately forward of the slit 42. The tabs 38 and 39 are thensimilarly folded over flat on the rear end portion 37 of the operatormember and the rear end portion 37 and the tabs are then insertedupwardly through the rear slit 43 whereupon the tabs 38 and 39 moveresiliently to the positions illustrated in FIG- URE l and the rear endportion 37 lies flat on the tail portion 19 rearwardly of the slit 43.Since the operator piece 12 is of greater length than the distancebetween the slits 42 and 43, the operator piece 12 then assumes thedownwardly convex or curved position illustrated in FIG- URE 4. The tabsof the end portions 32 and 37 of the operator piece 12, since theyextend angularly upwardly relative to the central portion 13, will nowengage the edges of the body piece defining the inner edges of the slits42 and 43 and thus prevent disengagement of the operator piece from thebody piece.

The two pieces of which the toy is made are then in the positionsillustrated in FIGURES l, 4, and 5 so that the middle finger of a handmay be inserted in the transverse space or passage between in thecentral portion 13 of the body piece and the operator piece between itsend portions 32 and 37, with the index finger located forwardly of theoperator piece and engaging the forward surface 51 of the operator pieceand with the ring finger located rearwardly of the operator piece andengaging the rear surface 52 thereof. If the operator now moves hismiddle finger downwardly relative to his index and ring fingers, the endportions 32 and 37 of the operator member are pulled inwardly towardeach other thus causing the rear and front ends of the central portion13 of the body piece also to be moved inwardly toward each other. Due tothe upwardly convex curvature of the central portion 13 of the bodypiece, such inward movement of the opposite ends of the central portion13 causes them to be moved downwardly as well as inwardly toward eachother. The head and tail portions of the body are therefore moveddownwardly relative to the central portion. In addition, since thecentral portion 13 is of substantially oblong shape, such inward anddownward movements of the opposite ends of the central portion causesthe wings and 25a to be moved upwardly and toward each other. Thevarious portions of the body piece are thus moved from the positionsillustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 6.

When the middle finger is then moved back upwardly to its initialposition relative to the index and ring fingers, the body and operatorpieces move resiliently back to their initial positions illustrated inFIGURES 4 and 5. The toy may thus be manipulated by means of one hand tosimulate the body action of a bird during flight.

The body piece may, of course, be painted or colored in any suitablemanner to represent a particular species of bird.

It will now be apparent that due to the curvature of the inner wingportions 24 and 25 between the fold lines 14, 15, 27 and 27a and theprovision of the head and neck portions 30 and 30a and of the tailportions 31 and 31a, the toy provides a three dimensional effect whenviewed from any angle.

It will further be seen that the toy may be easily formed of two flatpieces or blanks of a somewhat resilient substance, such as cardboard,which may be cut out along in dicated lines from the side of a cardboardpackage, such as a cereal box, and then bent along the indicated foldlines to form the body and operator pieces which are then connectable byinsertion of the end portions of the operator piece through slits whichmay be made in the body piece by a knife at indicated locations at theends of the central portion thereof.

It will further be seen that the toy is easily mounted on andmanipulated by one hand.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 7 and 8 of the drawings, the toyis similar to the toy 10 and, accordingly, its elements have beenprovided with the same reference numerals, to which the prefix 1 hasbeen added, as the corresponding elements of the toy 10. The tail 119 ofthe toy 110 is formed of a separate piece whose forward portion isadapted to overlie the rear portion of the oblong central portion 113 ofthe body piece 111 and is provided with a slot 143a preferably of thesame width as the rear slot 143 of the body piece. The rear end portion137 of the operator piece 112, when its tabs 138 and 139 are folded fiatthereon, is adapted to be inserted upwardly through the slots 143 and143a of the body piece and the tail, respectively, and its tabs 138 and139 then move resiliently outwardly to substantially the positionsillustrated in the drawings, the operator piece 112 thus securing thetail to the central oblong portion 113 of the body.

The front end portion 132 of the operator piece is similarly insertablethrough the front slot 142 of the central oblong portion when its tabs133 and 134 are folded flat thereon. The tabs 133 and 134 then moveresiliently outwardly to secure the front end portion from withdrawalthrough the slot 142.

The front and rear portions of the operator piece may be caused to movetogether to cause the wings to move toward one another by placing thedownwardly folded middle portion of the operator piece between the thumband index finger of a hand so that the thumb engages the front surface151 of the operator piece and the index finger engages the rear surface152 thereof whereupon a slight pivotal movement of the thumb over theforefinger moves the two portions of the operator piece above the middlebent portion thereof toward one another thus pulling the front and rearend portions 132 and 137 of the operator piece toward one another. Theopposite ends of the central portions are flexed downwardly and towardone another in this manner causing the wings to move toward one another.When the operator piece is then released, the resilient force of thecentral body portion of the body piece moves the wings back to theirouter positions. The use of the body piece 112 whose central portion extends downwardly of the central body portion so that it may be graspedbetween two fingers, provides for a greater degree of flexive or bendingof the central body portion and thus a greater range of movement to thetoy.

It will be apparent that the middle portion of the operator piece 12 ofthe toy 10 could similarly be folded to be engaged between two fingers.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, andchanges in the details of the construction illustrated may be made bythose skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A toy including: a body piece of resilient substance, said body piecehaving a longitudinally and upwardly arcuate central portion ofsubstantially oblong configuration, and a pair of side portionsextending divergently upwardly from opposite sides of said centralportion, said body piece having transverse openings at the ends of saidcentral portion: and an operator piece of resilient substance extendinglongitudinally below said central portion and having opposite endportions extending through said transverse apertures, said end portionshaving means engageable with said central portion for limiting downwardmovement of said end portions through said apertures, said operatorpiece between said end portions being of greater length than thedistance between said transverse apertures whereby said operator piececurves downwardly below said central portion and defines with saidtransverse portion a transverse finger passage, said opposite ends ofsaid central portion being movable inwardly and downwardly toward eachother by means of said operator piece to cause said side portions tomove upwardly toward each other.

2. A toy simulating a winged animal, said toy including: a body piece ofa resilient substance, said body piece having a longitudinally upwardlyarcuate central portion of substantially oblong shape, and side portionsrepresenting the wings of an animal extending divergently upwardly frominwardly concave fold lines defining opposite sides of said centralportion, said side portions having inner and outer portions, said outerportions extending from said inner portions angularly outwardly alonginwardly concave fold lines extending substantially completely acrosssaid side portions and spaced outwardly from and in nonparallelrelationship with respect to said concave fold lines defining oppositesides of said central portion; and an elongate operator piece ofresilient substance extending longitudinally below said central portion,said operator piece being of greater length than said central portionwhereby a middle portion of said operator piece is spaced downwardly ofsaid central portion and connected to said body piece at opposite endsof said central portion.

3. A toy simulating a winged animal, said toy including: a body piece ofa resilient substance, said body piece having a longitudinally andupwardly arcuate central portion of substantially oblong shape, a neckand head portion extending forwardly from the front end of said centralportion, a tail portion extending rearwardly from the rear end of saidcentral portion, and side portions representing the wings of an animalextending divergently upwardly from inwardly concave fold lines definingopposite sides of said central portion; and an elongate operator pieceof resilient substance extending longitudinally below said centralportion and connected to said body piece at opposite ends of saidcentral portion.

4. The toy of claim 3 wherein said body piece has side portionsextending upwardly along the sides of said tail and head and neckportions.

5. A toy simulating a winged animal, said toy including: a body piece ofresilient substance, said body piece having a longitudinally andupwardly arcuate central portion of substantially oblong shape, and sideportions representing the wings of an animal extending divergentlyupwardly from inwardly concave fold lines defining opposite sides ofsaid central portion, said body piece having transverse apertures atopposite ends of said central portion; and an elongate operator piece ofresilient substance and of greater length than said central portionextending longitudinally below said central portion and having endportions extending upwardly through said transverse apertures, said endportions having means enagageable with said central portion at saidapertures to prevent downward movement of said end portions through saidapertures.

6. A toy simulating a winged animal, said toy including: a body piece ofa resilient substance, said body piece having a longitudinally andupwardly arcuate central portion of substantially oblong shape, the neckand head portions extending forwardly from the front end of said centralportion, a tail portion extending rearwardly from the rear end of saidcentral portion, and side portions representing the wings of an animalextending divergently upwardly from inwardly concave fold lines definingopposite sides of said central portion; said body piece havingtransverse apertures at opposite ends of said central portion; and anelongate operator piece of resilient substance extending longitudinallybelow said central portion and having end portions extending throughsaid slit to said apertures, said end portions having means engageablewith said central portion limiting downward movement of said endportions relative to said central portion.

7. The toy of claim 6 wherein said body piece has side portionsextending upwardly along the sides of said tail and head and neckportions whereby said operator piece curves downwardly below saidcentral portion and defines with said central portion a transversefinger passage.

8. A toy simulating a winged animal, said toy including: a body piece ofa resilient substance, said body piece having a longitudinally andupwardly arcuate central portion of substantially oblong shape, the neckand head portions extending forwardly from the front end of said centralportion, a tail portion extending rearwardly from the rear end of saidcentral portion, and side portions representing the Wings of an animalextending divergently upwardly from inwardly concave fold lines definingopposite sides of said central portion, said side portions having innerand outer portions, said outer portions extending from said innerportions angularly outwardly along inwardly concave fold lines spacedoutwardly of said concave fold lines defining opposite sides of saidcentral portion, said body piece having transverse apertures at oppositeends of said central portion; and an elongate operator piece ofresilient substance extending longitudinally below said central portionand having end portions extending through said slit to said apertures,said end portions having means engageable with said central portionlimiting downward movement of said end portions relative to said centralportion.

9. A toy including: a body piece of resilient substance, said body piecehaving a longitudinally and upwardly arcuate central portion ofsubstantially oblong configuration, and a pair of side portionsextending divergently upwardly from opposite sides of said centralportion, said body piece having front and rear transverse openings atthe ends of said central portion; a tail piece having a transverseopening at one end thereof aligned with said rear transverse opening;and an operator piece of resilient substance extending longitudinallybelow said central portion and having one portion extending through saidfront transverse opening of said central portion and a rear end portionextending through said rear transverse opening of said body piece andthrough said opening of said tail piece.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,795,796 6/1957 Ray 46-157 XR2,819,559 1/1958 Daley 46'l23 2,932,125 4/ 1960 McAllister 46-154FOREIGN PATENTS 476,252 12/ 1937 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Fun With Paper Folding, by Wm. D. Murray and Francis J.Rigney, pp. 48-50, a copy of which is in Group 334 library. Call No.1B1542M8C2.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. S. NATTER, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 40106.33

